Recollections of Heaven
by Aquarius Galuxy
Summary: "Do you think you'll ever wind up in a Bingo Book?" .A series of NejiTen vignettes.
1. Bingo Book

_Finally started writing again, after 2 and a half years. My writing is rusty, but not too bad, I reckon. :) This will be a series of NejiTen vignettes.. Rated T for now, but I foresee the rating upped to M in the future. Prompt used is from 50_shinobi on LiveJournal._

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**Bingo Book**

"Do you think you'll ever wind up in a Bingo Book?" Tenten flops onto the grass under Neji's favorite tree, beads of sweat trickling down the sides of her throat. The rest day, spent on training, is almost over, and orange hues are beginning to creep up the far edge of the sky.

"You're referring to those of the other hidden villages?" A foot away, Neji barely shifts in his meditation. He is looking a touch beat, and Tenten envies how he is always able to stay so composed after hours of spinning in his _kaiten_. "I would assume so, as we become better _shinobi_."

"No, I meant Konoha's Bingo Book."

This time, Neji cracks his eyes open and levels a gaze at her. "What makes you think I'd even become a missing-_nin_?"

Tenten heaves a dry chuckle and pulls a _kunai_ out, twirling it so she wouldn't have to return his stare. "Oh, I don't know. What if you fall in love with an unworthy lady one day and decide to elope with her? You know, to escape the Hyuuga elders' fancies."

He snorts, un-Hyuuga-like, leaning back against the tree. "Like that's ever going to happen."

"And why not?" Curious now, Tenten rolls onto her belly and scrutinizes him. She nudges his knee with the rounded end of her weapon. A sudden idea tautens her stomach. "Do you have someone of higher stature in mind?"

Neji doesn't answer her for a long moment. She is rapidly starting to regret her question, and thinks she really doesn't want a reply. They are just best friends, after all. Not that he would become a missing-_nin_ or anything like that for her sake.

"Maybe," he yields at length. A smirk curves his lips. "Why do you ask, Tenten?"

"Can't I be curious?" she snaps, caught off guard. Her eyes flick towards the warm metal in her hand, and back to him. "I was just wondering what it'd be like if you were in Sasuke's position."

He seems content with her excuse. "I wouldn't betray our village like that."

Tenten forces the tension to deflate within her, and scoots over to sit alongside him. Their arms brush. She rests her head on his shoulder, allowing herself the luxury of a stolen touch. His earlier response returns to the forefront of her mind. "Who is it? Will you tell me someday?"

"Maybe."

Unseen by Tenten, Neji smiles and lets her warmth lull him back into the quiet of meditation.


	2. Brick Wall

_I'm on a roll! This piece is loosely tied to the previous one, Bingo Book, so you might like to read it first. :) Prompt borrowed from 50_shinobi on LiveJournal.  
__If I haven't stated it before, I will now: Naruto does not belong to me, and I am not attempting to make money off any of my fanfiction._

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**Brick Wall**

"A mountain of _bricks_?" The incredulous whisper flew from Tenten's lips. She craned her neck to the side, blinking furiously to ascertain that she had not just imagined the teetering pile in the middle of Team Gai's training grounds. "Neji, wha-"

Before her sparring partner could react, a green blur leaped out from behind the bricks, presenting itself as Rock Lee, the third member of their four-man group. Lee struck his Nice Guy pose, the whiteness of his teeth dazzling in the weak predawn luminescence. "Neji! Tenten! You are late, my youthful teammates!"

"Late?" Neji muttered next to her, his gaze narrowing.

Lee appeared not to have heard him. He flashed a grin. "I have been carrying these bricks here as extra practice. Gai-_sensei_ said we'd be building a wall today!"

"Seriously?" Tenten glanced askance at Neji, quietly glad that she wasn't the only one trying to grasp the logic of Gai's ridiculous task. "What do you-"

_Boom!_ The impact of a crater forming announced Gai's presence, heartbeats before he appeared in the accompanying cloud of dust. "Good morning, my youthful leaves and blossom! I see that you're all ready for today's training!" He turned to the younger replica of himself. "Good work, Lee."

"Gai-_sensei_!" Lee cried, tearful.

"Lee!" Gai returned the exclamation just as emphatically as they embraced.

"Oh gods." Tenten passed her hand over her eyes. They never seemed to tire of the routine, despite cycling through it daily. Neji always had a higher tolerance for their antics. Or perhaps, he merely never deigned to express his discomfiture.

"Anyway. For training today, we will build the strongest brick wall there is as an exercise in teamwork." Gai shoved a thumbs-up fist in front of their faces. "Then, we will destroy the wall without the use of explosives, as a challenge to ourselves!"

Beside her, Neji perked up. Destroying the brick wall seemed an interesting challenge, and Tenten was inclined to agree.

* * *

Much to Team Gai's surprise (and even the _sensei_ himself), the brick wall turned out to be such a useful training tool that they decided to keep it intact for the foreseeable future. Neji had suggested it be shaped into a cube, so as to withstand attacks from any direction, and Lee swore to defeat his eternal rival in wits when the next opportunity arose. (Neji lifted his brows, but said nothing.)

The initial assault had been against the brick cube, until Tenten flung a _shuriken_ at Neji, and he dodged, and an all-out spar amongst the trio broke loose. Tenten, being the long-range fighter on the team, took to the skies when Lee turned on Neji, firing a barrage of steel at them. The pair threw themselves behind brick for one second, two seconds, three, and Tenten had a moment to pause before a smoke bomb exploded. White and green hurtled from the confusion, searing a beeline for her. She smirked, ripped a scroll open and bit her thumb. A shower of_kunai_ would be enough-

"Halt!"

Gai materialized between them so suddenly that Neji cursed, shouted, "Lee!" and kicked the green-clad male to alter their trajectories from their teacher. They landed on their feet, staring at Gai; Neji accusingly, Lee with hesitance.

"Is something the matter?" Neji turned to Gai, Byakugan veins receding from his temples.

"Well, actually, yes." Gai glanced at Tenten, unwilling to exclude her from his attention. "In your youthful passion, you seem to have forgotten that the point of today's training was to destroy the brick wall!"

Neji opened his mouth to refute the statement, but Gai stopped him with a raised hand. "However, my students, you have surpassed me with your ideas! The brick wall has turned out to be the perfect training tool! We shall take turns to practice with it in pairs. Lee! Let's run five hundred laps around Konoha. Neji and Tenten will have the first round of training with the fruit of your labor."

"Yes, Gai-_sensei_!" Lee saluted his idol.

On some unspoken command, the Green Beasts of Konoha tore into the forest, leaving the training grounds quieter than it had been for hours. Tenten exhaled and relished the calm for half a minute, returning Neji's gaze. Then, with scarcely a warning, she drew a handful of _shuriken_ and sent them flying at Neji, using the momentary distraction to run up the side of the brick cube and leap into the air.

He had anticipated her move from the onset - she remembered too late that her attack should have been performed away from the reach of his all-seeing eyes - and followed on an adjacent wall, meeting her at the top with his palm extended upwards, ready to strike.

Tenten twisted away, forcing _chakra_ into her feet to propel herself into the air. Neji mimicked her move - she cursed, knowing this was the only way he could take her down once she was airborne. She wasn't going down without a fight, however. Yanking blades out of her sleeves, she spun around to slash at him, only to have him tap right over her heart once.

She dropped to the ground lightly, tightening her grip on the daggers. Were she an enemy, there would have been _chakra_going straight to her heart, and she would be dead. Neji landed next to her, relaxed, and she ducked, kicking low to sweep his feet out from under him. Tenten wasn't done, not by a long shot. It was too early in the day to be losing. Especially when she still had no idea who he wanted for a wife. Damn it, they were supposedly best friends and she was none the wiser!

In response, Neji dodged, and dodged again when she went on the offensive with her blades, forcing him backwards into the brick wall. "Haven't I won this round, Tenten?"

"Not until I say so, you haven't." She was being unreasonable, and they both knew it. Another kick to his head (he ducked), and one from the side-

Neji spun around and slipped behind her, palming her back so she hit the brick wall and air rushed out of her lungs. Her cheek bumped into rough brick.

"Tenten." His baritone was gentle, almost seductive. In a different time and place, perhaps it would have been a whisper caressing her ear. A shiver raced down her spine. "What is it?"

"It's nothing." She was glad he couldn't read her face. There was no way the lie would escape him then.

"It's about the conversation the other day, isn't it?" Neji stated blandly, stepping closer.

Tenten bit her lip. It spoke volumes about their connection that he could pinpoint the exact cause for her temper. Sometimes, she didn't know if she appreciated how he could read her so easily. At this moment in time, though, her opinion leaned strongly towards the negative. "So what if it is? I was just curious."

"And maybe I don't have an answer yet." Heat emanated into her back. Warm breath tickled her ear. Her heart raced at his proximity. His next words were so quiet that she almost thought they were figments of her imagination. "Not even to myself."

A startled gasp flew from her throat. Was Neji-

Before she had time to make sense of anything, the heat was gone, and Neji was guiding her away from the brick wall.

"Are you ready for the second round?" He was watching her with those pale lilac eyes of his, nary missing a detail. "Or do you need a break first?"

Tenten drew a deep breath, clearing her mind of thought. She would contemplate Neji's behavior when she was home. For now, she needed all her wits about her if she was to have any chance at defeating the Hyuuga genius. "I'm ready."


	3. Shrimp

_And a third! This one follows the first two, so you'd have to read them in sequence. :) Prompt from 50_shinobi on LJ._

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**Shrimp**

Dabs of orange, encased in translucent white.

The shrimp dumplings had caught Tenten's attention as soon as they turned the corner, and it was a simple matter of buying a stick of them from the roadside vendor. Neji handed the treat silently to his companion, watching as the surprise on her countenance melted to one of delight. "Thank you, Neji!"

He shrugged, shifting his gaze back to the milling crowd on the street. It wasn't as if he'd never treated Tenten to her favourite foods on occasion. The events from this afternoon, though, had given him the nagging sense that he owed her an apology, even though it was through no fault of his that she wanted to know his choice of a future bride. Then again, he had been the one to bait her with a non-response, when she asked that missing-_nin_ question.

As it was, Tenten was tucking into the dumplings with relish, her chocolate eyes slipping shut to accentuate the flavor of shrimp.

A smile tugged on the corner of Neji's mouth. Trust Tenten to look uncharacteristically innocent in moments like these. (No, he had not just gone out of his way to illicit that response from her. Really.)

They meandered slowly towards the far side of the village, where Tenten's rented apartment was. Neji watched his best friend avoid civilians in their path with her eyes still closed, still chewing. It was training, she would say.

"Want the last one?" She broke into his thoughts and held the bamboo skewer out to him. There was a dumpling on the stick close to her fingers; Neji wondered, briefly, what it would be like to grasp her hand in his and pull the snack off with his teeth. She licked her lips, leaving a sheen of moisture on them. Neji swallowed. "If you don't, I'll eat it."

"You eat it." He tore his gaze away, closing his eyes for a moment to contain his thoughts. Was Tenten so oblivious as to not know who he'd want to spend his future with?

They eventually drew to a stop outside her door, Tenten idly twirling the skewer around her fingers. Nuances of indigo had washed the sky over, and the dusk air was turning chilly. She turned to him, a smile playing on her lips. "Thanks for the treat and walking me home, Neji. I guess I'll see you next week-"

He dipped his head and kissed her. Inexperience and nerves landed his lips on the corner of hers - she smelled of _Tenten_ and shrimp - and he jerked away, embarrassed.

The bamboo stick clattered to the floor. Tenten stared at him, a light flush rising to her cheeks.

"I'll see you next week," Neji muttered, refusing to meet her eyes. His heart pounded. Her lips had been soft and moist, more heavenly than his imagination painted. "I hope that answers your question."

With that, he stepped away and swung himself off the parapet wall, hoping that he hadn't just damned their friendship to hell.


	4. Inner Demons

_Not as Inner Demon-ish as one would expect, but oh well. ;) Do you guys read with the story format stretched all the way across the screen? I do mine with 1/2 screen (the settings above each story).. looks a lot better that way. :P_

_Prompt taken from 50_shinobi on LJ. _

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**Inner Demons**

Tenten stood, stock still, before her apartment door. It had been two minutes since Neji fled, and she'd moved nary an inch. Night was steadily falling.

Neji had kissed her. Neji _kissed_ her.

Slowly, she lifted a hand to her mouth, gingerly touching where his lips had been. Warmth and softness were burnt into her muscle memory, and she could almost imagine the scent of dried sweat off his skin.

He liked her. Tenten almost shook with relief at the realization, until the fact that he was a Hyuuga descended with all the impact of a brick to her stomach. That he returned her concealed emotions was of little meaning if his family rejected a relationship between them. If anything, it would hurt Neji to choose her - associating with someone of no familial heritage would only serve to bring him down - she had no wish to incite tension between him and his clan. There was no way he'd abandon them, either.

Feeling suddenly vulnerable, Tenten fumbled with the lock on her door and let herself in. The familiarity of her apartment was comforting. She flicked a light switch on and dropped her scrolls on the coffee table, setting about to prepare a kettle for tea.

Neji had not mentioned any restrictions from his elders, nor expressed bitterness towards them during their brief conversation about marriage a few days prior. Tenten exhaled slowly, going through the possibilities in her mind. Perhaps, just perhaps, there wouldn't be dire consequences if they went beyond being best friends.

A frisson of hope unfurled in her chest. The kettle began to whistle, and Tenten's tread was lighter as she fetched a mug from the cupboard. In that instant, she decided that fear would not tie her down. Today was the first step in a new direction; she would do well to savor every moment she and Neji shared.


	5. Thunderstorm

_This is the chapter that changes the rating for this series... It is actually M for this scene only, and T for every other scene you see... So be forewarned! Feel free to skip ahead to the next scene (when available), or close the story window if you are uncomfortable with reading sexual situations._

_To all who have reviewed/followed/favourited this story, many thanks! :)_

_Once again, I do not own Naruto or any of the characters involved._

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**Thunderstorm**

Thunder crashed around them, tearing Tenten from slumber with a startled gasp. She curled into the source of warmth beneath her, glancing around to regain her bearings. Lightning flashed outside the tiny window right then, and again, illuminating the room for two brief seconds. Rain pattered noisily against the glass.

It was a small room, complete with a bed, desk, chair and closet, most of which was draped in various articles of clothing, such as green spandex and white shirts. It took another moment for Tenten to remember the mission, how Team Gai was on their way back towards Konoha when the heavens broke open, soaking them to the bone within a minute. They had checked into the nearest inn "so our youthful flower won't fall ill", and all four of them crammed into the last room available.

That meant the warmth beneath her-

"Neji!" Tenten gasped as she jerked her face away from her best friend's, heart pounding. She was sprawled over his body; half her torso was on his, as if she'd mistaken him for a pillow in her sleep. Blood rushed to her face.

The sudden movement had his pale eyes snapping open, instantly on the alert.

She cursed inwardly, squeezing her eyes shut in a failed attempt to feign unconsciousness. It wouldn't have helped anyway - her chest was pressed so snugly against his arm that he could probably feel her thumping pulse. A rumble of thunder rolled around them.

"Tenten?" he whispered, voice hoarse from sleep. He stiffened against her a heartbeat later. So he'd realized the awkwardness of their positions, how her thigh was draped over his hips. Tenten didn't dare move. "I know you're awake."

Mortified, she tensed, burying her face in the thin pillow. "I'm asleep."

"No, you aren't." He turned towards her, causing her arm to shift on his chest. Gods, he was naked - almost. They'd gone to bed with most their clothes left hanging to dry, and he had been wearing a pair of boxers. Tenten swallowed hard. At least she'd traded her chest wrappings for a camisole, and her boyshorts were still intact.

Thunder clapped again, and, high-strung as she was, Tenten flinched in shock, pressing harder into Neji. She discovered then, that there was something stiff indenting her inner thigh. Something long and cylindrical. Neji carried a scroll in his underwear? A surprised whisper, "Neji, what's a scroll doing in-"

She reached down to investigate (it was just a weapon, right?) - only to find that the end of Neji's supposed scroll was not edged and hard like she expected, but wet, blunt, and just a little bouncy. He groaned and hissed, "It's not a scroll, Tenten."

_Oh._ "Oh gods, Neji! I'm sorry!" she whispered, snatching her hand away and rolling away from him, stopping short of tumbling off the bed and onto their teammates on the floor. Tenten turned back towards Neji, her cheeks scalding, making sure to plant her face into her pillow. They hadn't had time to even talk since that kiss two weeks ago, and now _this_? Her voice muffled in the cotton. "I'm asleep, I didn't see or touch anything!"

Granted, Neji should have gathered that she returned his depth of feeling by the way their fingers had brushed on the mission, or how she'd smiled at him when she was sure Gai and Lee weren't looking, but she definitely had not planned on fondling him any time this soon. He did feel delicious against her thigh, however, and Tenten was unable to help the ribbon of warmth that pooled in her middle. Or prevent the thought of touching him fully with her fingers from slipping into her mind.

The mattress dipped next to her. Tenten bit her lip, wondering if Neji thought she'd wrapped herself around him on purpose. "I didn't mean to invade your boundaries, Neji, I just happened to wake up like that," she croaked into the pillow. Heat emanated into her side.

"And I did not mean for you to witness... that," he muttered in her ear. Warm fingers surrounded hers. "Tenten- you know how I feel. I do not mean to tarnish you in any way."

Relief flooded her senses. Slowly, she turned back to Neji, reading the uncertainty in his gaze. Thankful that the storm continued to subdue their voices, she brought her fingers to his cheek. "I never did get to give you my answer, did I?"

At the silent question in his eyes, the courage in her chest rose, and she pressed him back down into the mattress, following to cover his lips with hers.

It was a heady second kiss, tentative at first, before deepening into lips and tongue and teeth. She hadn't much of an idea what she was doing, but neither did Neji. Their teeth clicked; she eased his mouth open, sliding her tongue heavily against his, and he groaned, tracing his tongue along her teeth in return.

Tenten dragged her hand across his sculpted chest, caressing along the dips and muscles. His warmth filled her with desire, a titillating lust that snowballed from all the years of watching, unable to touch him. Neji tensed when she pressed her breasts into his arm. They broke the kiss for air, and she read the same hunger in his eyes, stark in the burst of lightning that lit the room. His lips were moist, his chest rising and falling with each breath. Anticipation pooled in her belly.

When their lips met again, his fingers wound into the curls of her hair, anchoring her to him. Tenten's fingers slipped lower, over his abdomen, and lower yet, to the waistband of his underwear. His breath soughed across her cheek; his grip tightened on her, yet he made no move to halt her fingers as they delved into his only article of clothing, instead slipping a warm palm up her camisole, stroking her midriff once, twice, before he traced the underside of her breast with his fingers, gently cupping her flesh.

She gasped his name just as he found her taut nipple and took it between his fingers, arching into his touch. A familiar wetness teemed between her legs; she scissored them to diminish the growing tension there, only to have the sweet, wet friction increase her need tenfold. Desperate now, her fingers crept deeper into his boxers, finding him easily. Moisture slicked her fingertips.

Neji moaned into her mouth. "Ten-"

Her breath hitched when he thrust into her palm, thick and heavy and hard. Tenten groaned into the kiss, at the same time thunder reverberated through the room. She curled her fingers around him, loving the velvety texture of his length, stroking gently over him. Wetness caught on her palm and smeared over his skin. If he were inside her... His fingers were suddenly around hers, easing his loose garment off her hand, before tightening and adjusting her grip as she massaged his flesh. Cool air brushed her skin.

Embarrassed, Tenten pulled her lips away, a deep flush on her cheeks. Neji stared at her, his breath ragged, still guiding the stroke of her palm around him. When he was satisfied with the pressure of her touch, he released her, catching the hem of her camisole and lifting it, tracing his fingers over the peaks of her breasts. Her skin tingled. She hadn't imagined that Neji would acquaint himself with her this intimately, with such tenderness in his touch. His gaze was intense, seeming to read into every trill of pleasure seeping into her skin. And worse, she wanted all that he had to offer.

Suddenly curious, she glanced down at his length, catching sight of his erection snug in her palm when lightning lit the room again. There was a sheen of wetness building at his tip, trickling over her thumb. Tenten swallowed, entranced by the lewdness of her fingers stroking over him, of the fine veins crossing his flesh. Yet, she knew this was where he was most sensitive, and he trusted her to touch him, to bring him pleasure with her caress. If he were inside her... He seemed almost too big, but she knew from meager experience that her flesh could accommodate him, encase him tightly in her. The wantonness of the thought made her wetter still, shocked her into looking back at Neji, made her wonder if he knew what she'd just imagined.

Neji was still watching her, and she was sure he'd caught the dark hue of her cheeks. He smirked, reached down with his other hand, skimming his knuckles along her belly. Eyes wide, she stroked him harder, her pulse racing when he touched the hem of her boyshorts, wordlessly seeking permission to enter.

She swallowed and nodded, not knowing what he'd do, only that she needed his touch between her legs, and she needed it now. The corners of Neji's lips quirked; he pressed slowly into her underwear, fingers combing through her curls, until he found her aching flesh-

_Oh gods!_

Tenten stifled a cry as pleasure hummed in her loins, rolling her hips towards him. Her legs parted of their own accord in invitation, and she watched his face, uncharacteristically shy, only conscious of how he was touching the most private parts of her body. And it felt _good_.

Yet more moisture leaked onto her palm from his tip, rendering him slick in her grasp. Neji hissed. Her fingers tightened around his length as he caressed along her wet folds, deliberating between her throbbing nub and testing the entrance to her core. She gasped his name. Clothed or no, she felt entirely exposed to him, and it was inexplicably heady knowing that he knew the most secret parts of her body, was touching her right there, where she needed him most.

Neji trembled, his breathing uneven, staring at her in a way that heated her very center. His hips jerked up at her, thrusting hard into her palm. In response, Tenten pulled urgently on him as the tension in her grew, needing more from him, just a little more- Neji groaned and stiffened, his eyes shuttered. Hot, thick liquid spilled over her fingers in steady spurts.

The aching need proved too much to bear when he ground his palm into her sensitive flesh, fingers stroking along her flesh and pressing into her- Pleasure exploded in her body; Tenten felt a silent scream rip through her throat as her back arched and her toes curled and everything ceased to exist but the pulsing waves of pleasure in her body.

Patters of raindrops hitting the windowsill was what she heard first when the ringing had quieted in her ears. Her breath came in harsh pants. Neji was watching her silently, the rise and fall of his chest slowing to normal, even as she struggled to make sense of what they'd just done. He withdrew his touch, discreetly cleaning the evidence of his pleasure with tissues he'd produced from somewhere.

Then the gravity of their situation sunk in, and she stared at Neji, horror-struck.

"We can only move forward," he said quietly, his cheeks dark. Gently, he took her hand, cleaning the stickiness off her skin. "I still see you as a capable teammate and the friend I trust most, Tenten. And perhaps more, if you're willing to entertain the idea."

"I- Yes." Relief eased her discomfort, and she leaned in to press a kiss on his mouth. "This will not change what I feel for you, Neji."

A tiny smile crept up his lips. "I suggest we sleep, then. We are still on a mission."

Tenten felt an echoing smile spread across her face. "Thank you."

He straightened her clothes, slipping an arm around her waist and drawing her close, nuzzling her neck. "Good night, Tenten."

"Good night, Neji," she whispered, allowing the steady fall of raindrops to lead her back into slumber.


	6. Springtime of Youth

_And back to PG ratings... I found this hilarious, and hope you will as well. :)_

_I don't own Naruto or any of the characters._

* * *

**Springtime of Youth**

Gai watched the green leaf and blossom on his team as they hurried around the rented room, retrieving their damp clothing. If he hadn't caught snippets of their exchange the night before, he would have missed the weight behind their rose-tinted cheeks, and assumed it was only because they had woken up curled together beneath the covers.

Ah, to be young again!

Of course, he had expected that his youthful lotus would blossom with Neji at some point, but not while they were all on a mission together, and certainly not with the Hyuuga prodigy letting his guard so far down. Who knew that Neji had such passion, such gentleness with their Tenten!

Of course, Gai had had nagging suspicions that Neji did possess such qualities deep within him. All he had needed was the right catalyst and sunshine for these qualities to take root.

As for Lee, his precious student... His time for romance had not come to fruition yet. He sincerely hoped that Lee would never lose his burning optimism, despite how that Sakura girl turned him down repeatedly. Someday, the right flower would come along and appreciate all of Lee's youthfulness and hard work, and Lee would be all the happier for persevering.

Speaking of Lee, the green leaf had just spotted the color on Tenten's cheeks, and he was wasting no time in complimenting her beauty. "Ah, Tenten! It seems that our night in the inn has restored all your youthfulness! Your cheeks are as pink as the cherry blossoms in spring!"

Across the room, hovering just where Gai was, Neji tidied his supply pack, pointedly ignoring Lee's chatter. Tenten's blush had deepened into a fetching shade of crimson. Gai tugged his vest on and checked that all his equipment was intact, before stepping discreetly next to the Hyuuga. "Ah, Neji," he started in an undertone. "I trust that you remembered the use of, ah, protection, in your passionate dance with our lovely flower."

Neji's head snapped right up, shock plastered across his features. His shoulders tensed. Deep red splashed across his face; lilac eyes burned in a glare. "How- We did nothing of the sort."

Gai lifted his eyebrows, casting his student a sidelong glance. Neji was yielding more emotion than he had ever seen. Tenten's effect on his youth was certainly unparalleled. "I am concerned about our lotus, that is all."

It seemed as if Neji was attempting to find the right words while keeping his temper in check. After all, no one, especially not a genius, liked to be told that he'd slipped up. "I have not compromised Tenten," Neji ceded after a long pause. "This is none of your business."

"So it isn't," Gai agreed. It did, however, please him greatly to see the changes Tenten had wrought in Neji. By focusing his tutelage on Lee, the remaining two pupils had drawn closer, giving their lives more meaning than Gai could ever have hoped to achieve by taking them under his wing. "I entrust our lovely flower into your hands, Neji. Don't fail me."

"I won't." Pale eyes bore into Gai's back as he made his way to the entrance of the room, where Lee and Tenten were involved in a youthful discussion about pink cheeks.

He gave Tenten's shoulder a light pat. She turned to look at him, and he returned the gaze meaningfully. "So you have blossomed in the night, our beautiful flower!"

Her jaw dropped. Tenten gaped at him, mortified. Behind, Neji's stare burned inconsequential holes into his back. Gai grinned at his students, the young leaves and flower that he'd watched grow through the years. "Let us continue towards Konoha! If we don't make it back in one day, we'll run a thousand laps around the village!"

Lee cheered and dashed out the door. "Yes, Gai-_sensei_! You have the best ideas ever!"

Gai began jogging on the spot to warm up, angling a look at his two remaining students. "Neji! Tenten! Let's get moving now, don't let your springtime of youth go to waste!" He gave them a Nice Guy pose when they remained rooted to the spot. "And don't forget, always use protection in your dance of passion!"

That got them tearing after him at breakneck speed. Yosh!


	7. Leap of Faith

_I present another scene in the series that's rated M for sexual situations.. Readers, kindly exercise discretion._

_It feels as if this storyline thing (or lack thereof) is starting to drag along.. Been reading a bunch of excellent fics by excellent writers, and these pale in comparison. Sorry about that. :P I do not have the time, commitment, or ideas for a multi-chaptered fic though. :(_

_As usual, Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Leap of Faith**

"These are delicious!" It was a pork dumpling that Tenten munched on this time, as they wove through the evening crowd back to her apartment. "Thank you again, Neji."

He shrugged, as he was wont to do, preferring silence to the redundancy of conversation. One of the best things about Tenten was that she hardly required him to talk. Instead, he watched her from the corner of his gaze, tracing the curves of her rosy cheeks and the slope of her nose. And that mouth - Tenten's mouth - was luscious. Had he really kissed her last night? Touched her in the most intimate of places?

She had felt exquisite beneath his fingers, silky, wet... Heat unfurled within him as the memory flitted across his fingers. Stiff flesh, that sent her arching against him when he touched it, her mouth hot against his. Neji curled his fists, nails biting into his skin. He had to stop revisiting those moments, at least in her presence. They'd haunted him to no end through their journey back to Konoha.

"I can't believe Gai-_sensei_ ran off. The nerve of that _scoundrel_!" She angled a furious stare at him, jabbing her bamboo skewer pointedly. "I was just going to forgive him after we spent the whole day chasing him down, and he had the nerve to remind us about p-pr-_protection_?"

A smile quirked his lips when Tenten sputtered, realizing that she'd ranted out loud. Crimson flooded her face. A string of ungainly curses flew from her mouth. Neji lengthened his stride when she increased her pace, eager to place distance between herself and the staring civilians. A sudden thought crossed his mind. "Was it worthy of the lectures?" he murmured quietly.

"I-" Tenten sent him a quick look, the color on her cheeks turning a vivid red. Suddenly, her gaze was on everything but him. "Um, yes," she mumbled, before her tone sharpened defensively. "What's it to you, anyway?"

"Everything." Neji smirked, a stab of masculine pride roaring within his chest. It was easier coming to terms with his emotions now that she knew, and he couldn't help hoping for just another scent of her skin, another taste of her lips.

Quiet descended over them, only lifting when they reached her apartment door. Tenten fished for her keys. "Would you, um, like to come in for a while?"

He nodded, watching as she unlocked the door and deactivated the traps behind it. A whisper of anticipation slipped into his veins. All he was going to do was just kiss her and go home. Really. The clan was expecting him to be present for dinner.

Tenten closed the door behind them after they'd entered, gesturing towards the couch. "Um, make yourself comfortable," she mumbled, her gaze landing on, and skittering away from him. "I'll-I'll go make some tea."

He spared the tidy furniture a glance, catching her wrist before she fled the room. "Tenten."

"Neji?" she whispered breathlessly, turning to look at him. He took a step closer, eliminating the space between them. The rise and fall of her chest was quick, but slight, divulging her nervousness. "What-"

Her lips were every bit as tender as he remembered. Tenten stiffened at first, unresponsive, until he persuaded her to relax with his mouth, sliding over her lips and awkwardly cradling her face. With a soft moan, she opened her mouth to his, touching his tongue with hers. He tasted pork dumpling and Tenten, and dipped further into her mouth. It filled him with hunger, the way her body pressed into his, the way her tongue made love with him, suggesting endless possibilities that they spend nights exploring. The light clatter of her dumpling skewer hitting the floor sounded far away in the background.

He drew away from her when she began pulling his hips closer, her fingers pressing indents in his rear. "Tenten."

"Hmm?" She stared at him, her gaze hazy with lust, a sheen of moisture on her lips. Neji repeated her name, resisting the urge to sample them again. It took seconds for her to regain her senses, upon which her eyes widened with shock. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Why are you nervous?" He frowned, watching her. "Is something the matter?"

Tenten blinked, parting her lips, but no words fell from them. She swallowed, looked around the room, then back at him. Heaved a sigh. "I guess I'm just not used to this. I- Last night was- I've been distracted the whole day, Neji. It's as if I'm losing control around you. Maybe this is all happening too quickly."

She waved her hand at the air around them. He knew what she meant, knew she liked being in control of herself, and the multitude of weapons she wielded. The urges to recreate what they'd experienced last night had eaten at him the entire day, and he'd discovered his loss of focus on more than one occasion.

"You're not the only one losing control," he muttered, licking his lips. Her gaze fell, noticeably, to his mouth. If she knew how hard that kiss had made him-

"I don't know about this," she confessed on an exhalation, pulling away and dropping heavily on the couch. Her fingers flew over the straps binding her scrolls to her person, releasing her of their weight. She placed them on the table. Neji joined her, sitting close enough that their arms barely touched. When she looked at him again, there was a hint of vulnerability in her brown eyes. "Are we moving forward too soon?"

His eyebrows lifted. Where had she got that notion from? "Do you believe in such a thing?" Gingerly, Neji took her hand. Her calloused fingers closed around his. "Shinobi like us are not promised forever."

Tenten blinked. She stared at him, quiet for a long moment. Neji was content to wait. After all, they'd waited for years - what were a few minutes or days compared to that?

At length, Tenten exhaled deeply, her troubled gaze clearing. "You're right, Neji. I've waited for you for forever."

He was surprised when she grinned suddenly, squeezing his hand.

"So... Like you said, we can only move on. You never told me if you enjoyed last night," Tenten began mischievously. She leaned into him, her arm warm against his. He blinked at the sudden proximity of their faces. "Or if you liked what you felt. I wonder what you taste like, Neji."

"You don't mean..." he trailed off, unable to complete the rest of his utterance. But he was painfully aware of her insinuation, and his mind was flung into the gutter for it. His cheeks burned, at the same time blood pooled in his loins. Neji could well imagine her tongue stroking along him, leaving a coat of wetness-

"I do mean it," she murmured, pressing closer to seal the distance between their mouths.

It was as if a fire had flared to life when they met; her lips parted immediately against his, inviting his tongue to dance with hers in the wet heat of her mouth. He acquiesced, sliding heavily against her flesh, wondering if the silken heat between her legs would taste any different. Tenten's hands had gone straight to his clothes, skimming across his chest, then down between his legs.

He groaned into her mouth at her touch, angling his body towards her, spreading his thighs to allow her better access. She gripped him through his clothes, whispered his name when her mouth slid free of his. Pleasure fluttered in his groin. He pressed kisses along her jaw and down her throat, reaching into her shirt. The chest bindings seemed to be endless; he growled and struggled with them blindly, until she released him to unravel the bandages.

Tenten's breasts, he decided, were most beautiful when free of their trappings. He pressed her down onto the couch, gathering her shirt upwards to expose those full mounds, keenly aware of her gaze on him. "Beautiful," he murmured, tracing their undersides with the backs of his fingers, before caressing her pink nipples with his thumbs, and taking one dusky crest into his mouth. She gasped his name, arched when he flicked a tongue against her nipple, his blood coursing at the way it hardened in reaction. Tenten wove fingers into his hair, quivered, pushed her breasts into his face. They were so soft, and impeccably smooth. He pulled her deeper into his mouth; she cried out, clutched at his head.

The pressure at his loins increased at the thought that he was bringing her such pleasure. Neji turned his attention to her other breast, sampling it like he did the other, tugging on it gently, until Tenten's breathing turned uneven, and she pushed lightly on him, guiding him further down. Neji swallowed, trailed his lips down her midriff and belly, pausing at her hips, where she was already unfastening her trousers, her body writhing. "Please, Neji," she gasped, staring beseechingly at him, strands of chocolate hair coming loose from her buns.

Tenten kicked her slippers off. He needed no further instruction, easing both her pants and underwear off and tossing them to a side. Burgundy had fanned across her cheeks; nevertheless, she parted her legs, watching him expectantly. He lowered his gaze to her swollen nether lips, to the dark thatch of hair, and the engorged flesh that begged for his touch. Wetness gleamed along her folds. His erection throbbed.

Slowly, as if she would be scared off if he moved any quicker, he placed his hands on her inner thighs, and lowered his head to her groin, tentatively licking at her quivering flesh. His name tore from her throat, high and wavering. Her scent carried musky notes, and that was nearly his undoing. His body tautened. Neji took her clit into his mouth, licking it like he'd heard about. She cried out, tremors rippling through her frame. Her chest heaved; she watched him with half-shuttered eyes, breathing raggedly through parted lips. Unable to help himself, Neji brought his hand down and teased her opening, wetness catching on his fingertips. She was so wet, and he wanted to be in her, to feel her lips part around his length just as they were around his index finger, slick and hot. His manhood hummed with sheer need.

Neji sucked on her swollen flesh just as she tensed around him and his finger curled in her, and a scream ripped from her throat. Tenten clenched around him hard, her back lifting clean off the couch, her thighs quaking on either side of his face.

He stifled a groan, reaching down to touch his shaft through his clothes, desperately needing release. Pleasuring Tenten and watching her climax on his finger had made him painfully hard, and his boxers uncomfortably wet. Moisture gleamed on his finger when he withdrew from her. Unthinking, he brought it to his lips, tasting the wetness from her very core. She was delicious, musky; he licked his finger clean.

It was a minute before Tenten had recovered enough to prop herself up on her elbow, and she spotted his sifting fingers just as it occurred to him to stop. Neji had the decency to blush, then she was upon him, a grin spreading across her lips. He throbbed with anticipation, allowed her to push his hand away.

Tenten found his source of discomfort easily, stroking along his length once, her touch tantalizing. He moaned, thrust into her hand. Her lips quirked; she reached up and grabbed the tops of his pants and boxers, divesting him of them as he'd done her. He lifted his hips to aid her efforts, though his erection caught on the hem of his boxers, earning him another grin. "Trying to stop me, Neji?"

He glared at her (it was difficult to in his state of arousal), but remained silent until his garments were on the floor, and his length strained between them, betraying his need.

Tenten's gaze dropped to him, and she exhaled with a shaky breath, flicking her tongue over her lower lip. If she licked him right there- Neji bit another groan down, but she caught the action anyway, smiling at him. With all the patience in the world, Tenten closed her fingers around the base of his shaft, stroking him steadily like he'd taught her. Pleasure feathered through his flesh. A moan tore from his lips. Her grip was heaven- then her breath fell on his heated skin, and he had a moment to anticipate what was coming.

Her mouth closed around him, hot and wet, and a growl burst from his throat. It was insane, the sensations her mouth wreaked upon him, and he thrust up at her, needing more, so much more.

With a low chuckle, her lips wrapped around his tip (and she looked gorgeous doing so), Tenten began sliding him deeper into his mouth, surrounding him with silken heat that had him yielding more moisture to her. Her tongue danced against his skin; she began to suck, as if pulling his very essence from him, and he knew he was gone, her name grating past his lips, at the same time pleasure exploded in his body. The intensity of his climax darkened his vision, made his ears ring.

Vaguely, he was aware of himself spilling into her mouth, though he regained his senses just as Tenten wiped her lips daintily with a paper towel, tossing it into a bin with the same accuracy she had with her weapons.

"Now, you can't say you didn't enjoy that." She grinned at him, glancing pointedly down at his crotch. Neji flushed.

Slowly, he got to his feet, looking regretfully at the clock on the wall. "I have to leave. The clan is expecting me to be present at dinner today."

Tenten smiled and shrugged, picking his clothes off the couch. He took them from her outstretched hand with a murmur of thanks, dressing himself. Together, they made their way to the door, though not before Tenten exclaimed softly and grabbed something off a shelf. She pressed it into his hand.

Neji glanced down at the tome. _Icha Icha Paradise._ The adult book Kakashi was always reading? He looked back at her in question, meeting her grin. "I think you'll enjoy it," Tenten murmured. "Like I did."

"Oh?" He raised his brow, leaving the conversation at that to brush a lingering kiss across her lips. "Training as usual tomorrow. I'll meet you at the grounds."

"Right. See you then, Neji." Tenten grinned, and he smiled, wondering just how much their lives were going to change from now on.


	8. Icha Icha Paradise

_Am not fond of the path this series of scenes is heading.. hopefully more fluffiness in the following scene(s) instead of heavy stuff. (Hey, but what can I say, my specialty is still the hot-and-heavy ;) )  
This scene is rated M for sexual situations, reader discretion advised. Once again, I do not own Naruto or any of its characters._

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**Icha Icha Paradise**

It was with barely-restrained impatience that Neji returned to his room that night. All through dinner, his attention had drifted between the novel tucked discreetly beneath his futon, and the way Tenten looked beneath him that afternoon, missing more clothes than he cared to name. Hiashi's questions about their mission were routine; it didn't take a genius to outline the client's request they'd memorized even before leaving Konoha.

The rice paper door slid shut with a quiet rustle behind him. With a flick of the light switch, Neji strode over to the far side of his mattress, slipping Tenten's gift from the corner beneath his pillow.

A nondescript man chased a woman across the dull orange cover of _Icha Icha Paradise_, their arms flailing at their sides. If it weren't for its notorious reputation, Neji would have thought the book a mere romance novel... And Tenten had enjoyed it. He swallowed, settled carefully on his futon. Curiosity was a restless knot in his gut.

Creases ran densely along the book spine; the pages were yellow, and a number of corners were folded down. Knowing Tenten, she had likely bought it in a used books store to stretch her funds, though he wasn't sure if it was Tenten or its previous owner who had dog-eared the pages (Neji personally frowned on such mutilation of books), and why.

With a frown, he flipped to one such marker, skimming over the contents of the page.

_"You are dripping wet," Shinji growled. He gripped his large manhood with one hand and covered her flower with the other. Two fingers pushed in, coated with her juices. He spread her petals open slowly. Natsumi moaned. Her shapely breasts heaved and she reached down to hide her wet opening. Shinji regretfully released his erection to catch her hand. "It will feel good when I'm inside you, Natsumi."_

"Shinji! I'm embarrassed!" Natsumi panted. Her brown eyes widened when he pushed his round tip into her. Shinji moaned. She was so tight even after all the times they had made love. Natsumi gasped. "Ahh!"

Oh.

_Oh._

Heat crept up his cheeks faintly, though a significant volume of blood had favored moving in the opposite direction. Tenten read this? Worse yet, she _enjoyed_ it? A week ago, Neji wouldn't have guessed that his teammate and best friend consumed such atrocities for leisure.

As he resumed his perusal of Shinji and Natsumi's adventures, though, the stark memories of that afternoon, and the night before, filtered into his mind, and Neji found himself knowing that exact slickness described in the book, that wet heat. Natsumi was the spitting image of Tenten in his imagination; somewhere along in his reading, "Shinji" had become "Neji", and it was Neji sliding into Tenten and feeling her contract around him.

When that scene ended, Neji skipped to the next marked section, and drowned again in the explicit text, of him pressing Tenten into the wall and lifting her dress. She was on all fours in the following scene, hips lifted to grant his mouth access, and riding him in the one after, her flesh massaging his, and...

A week ago, he would never have seen himself nursing an erection over Tenten's loan of an erotic novel. (Tenten? Reading porn?) Right at this moment, however, his base instincts had taken over, and it was all he could do to tug at himself and remember the way her calloused fingers had strummed over his skin. The way her wet mouth closed around him. Wonder how it would feel to push into her.

Tension throbbed in his loins; his breathing hitched, and the whisper of an idea to render her as helpless and hungry as he was brushed his mind and slipped away.

Hyuuga Neji was his own worst enemy that night.


	9. Training

_A return to fluffy stuff, yay! I'm not sure where this story thing is heading, have got no more scenes written yet. :(_

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**Training**

Dawn saw Neji meditating beneath his favorite tree at their usual training grounds, and Lee kicking at the now-infamous brick wall in the middle of the clearing. This was how Tenten found them when she stepped into the grounds with her scrolls and packed lunch, ready for another day of vigorous sparring. "Morning, Neji, Lee!"

"Good morning, our fair lotus Tenten!" Lee flashed a blinding grin at her, never once ceasing in his taijutsu practice. "You look youthful today, as always!"

Neji merely cracked his eyes open and glanced her way. Tenten felt a grin spread across her face. Training with them these days was a treat, especially when they were sent on separate missions and saw less of each other. She made her way to Neji, dropping her lunchbox next to his. "Are you ready to spar?"

"Always." He rose to his feet and met her eyes. Tenten read trust, respect, and something else in the intensity of his gaze. A thrill ran down her spine. "Are you?"

"You know me," she replied lightly. And in a lower tone, "The book?"

"Finished it," Neji muttered. His stare burned into her. Tenten's breath hitched. She hadn't expected him to hit the end of the novel this soon; she'd only handed it to him last night! Did he think it was- "I found it... enlightening."

"Th-That's good to hear." Perhaps she didn't want to know what exactly he thought of it, and her. Tenten tapped his shoulder once and flipped backwards to hide her embarrassment. "You're It!"

It was a moment before Neji caught on to her game. That was a second he could have done with, when Tenten was quicker and more agile on her feet than he was. She grinned, took to the trees, leaving enough of a gap between them that he could reach her only at his fullest speed. The exhilaration of the chase brought a delighted laugh to her lips - she raised her speed when Neji did, and flung handfuls of _shuriken_ and _senbon_ at him to impede his path, careful to note their locations so as to find them later.

They raced beneath the canopy, tearing up and down gigantic tree trunks. Neji would occasionally send _kunai_ her way, limited as his weapon arsenal was.

It wasn't until Neji slipped on a branch and plummeted to the ground that Tenten paused, her heart leaping to her throat. With a sharp turn, she was on a vertical course downards, gritting her teeth when her best friend landed in a thick clump of shrubs, out of sight.

"Neji! Are you all right?" She skidded to a half in front of the bushes, her feet catching on the leaf-strewn undergrowth. He wouldn't be that badly injured, just a few broken bones at the worst...

A blur of white flew out of the bushes and tackled her to the ground.

"Wha-" Tenten gasped, winded. Her fingers snatched a _kunai_from her holster on instinct, ready to throw the attacker off.

"You shouldn't allow yourself to fall for such a feint." Neji drew himself away. He got to his feet and dusted himself off, slanting a lilac gaze at her.

Shock winded her like a punch to the gut. Tenten fumbled with her words. Never would she have expected this from the person she trusted most. Anger was the next to rear its head. "_What?_Neji! How could you? I thought something happened to you and you fell- Don't count on me to check on you the next time you slip!"

"Would you really?" He smirked, offering a hand. She took it grudgingly, deciding at the last moment to use her momentum from standing as leverage, and aimed a punch at him. Neji caught her fist easily, though there was no superiority in his countenance. Instead. he drew her towards him and pressed his lips to hers.

Tenten blinked. Returned his kiss. Perhaps this was the whole point of slipping off a branch. The nerve of that bastard! Neji's lips felt delectable sliding against hers, however.

He stepped away too soon, and tapped her shoulder. A smile curved his lips. "You're It, Tenten."

Tenten could swear her frustrated scream echoed through the forest. "_Neji!_"


End file.
